"The Six of Suicide" has been requested to be completely released after obtaining the third grade
The CNT union has held rallies in Bilbao and Donostia-San Sebastián in support of the six trade unionists who have become known as the '6 of Suicide', who have sentenced five women and one man to prison sentences in front of the 'La Switzerland' bakery in Gijón against the dismissal of a worker for protests and mobilizations.
Protest in front of the Arriaga in Bilbao this Saturday.
Dozens of people took part this Saturday in the rallies called for "full freedom" Asturias six trade unionists,\u00A0 for five women and a man known as the "6s of La Sudanese" , after learning yesterday that they had passed to third grade .
These six persons have been in prison since 10 July after the Supreme Court confirmed that they are sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for obstruction of justice and one and a half years' imprisonment for threats or intimidation, as well as to pay compensation of 150,000 euros to the owner of the La Suiza bakery in Gijón.
The convicts are members of the NTC and both that union and those six people have organized support groups. They have welcomed the award of the third degree, which they have described as "progress made through mobilization", but have announced that they will continue with the demonstrations because this measure is "insufficient".
Herminia Gonzalez, spokesperson for the Asturian group 'The Sofitu 6 de la Switzerland', has stated that these six people "should be on the streets because they committed trade unionism and committed no crime" and has urged the Spanish Government to proceed urgently with the request for a pardon requested by trade union, social and political organizations.
After being imprisoned on 10 July, the Vice-President and Minister of Labour, Yolanda Díaz, said that she was already working "within the Government to ensure that the pardon comes as soon as possible" and stressed that "trade unionism is a right, not a crime", so "no one in a democracy should be in prison for defending labour rights".
Díaz took advantage of his visit to Asturias on July 4 to meet these six people, when he said he was "shocked" by something "that has never happened in a democracy."
On Wednesday, Podemos, ERC, EH Bildu and BNG registered a non-legislative proposal inthe Congress of Deputies requesting a pardon from the Government, which is also supported by the Asturian Government and more than 20 trade unions.
Protests in the Basque Country
The CNT union has mobilized this Saturday in Bilbao and San Sebastián, after taking place on Friday in Barakaldo and Pamplona.
Trade unions, social and political movements have participated in the rallies organized in the Basque Country. There have also been comparisons in Bilbao.
In a statement, the NTC stresses that "the passage to the third grade of the Swiss 6s shows that when workers take to the streets to defend their rights, targets can always be achieved. Demobilization only leads to failure. Only struggle and solidarity allow us to move forward as a class. "
Image of this Saturday's protest in Gijon. Photo: EFE
The origin of the conflict
The conflict originated in June 2016, when one of the workers at the La Switzerland bakery began to feel bad, according to the judgment. The NTC has explained that it asked its manager for permission to go home, but he refused. The worker was pregnant and feared losing the baby. He called his partner, who showed up at the bakery. While he was arguing with the landlord, he smashed one of the refrigerators with one hand. The owner filed a complaint against the man for threats and damage to his premises, and the woman was discharged at the risk of losing her child.
Then, when the worker was on maternity leave, he went to the CNT union to help him negotiate his dismissal because he didn't want to go back to work at the bakery. The union requested compensation of about 6,000 euros (overtime, vacation days, unfair dismissal...) and the withdrawal of the complaint against the couple, but the owner refused.
CNT organized rallies in front of the bakery. The sentence specifies that "the worker joined the defendants to initiate a campaign of pressure on the employer and his family": rallies were called through social media in front of the establishment with banners, pasquins were distributed against the employer, and a video was released denouncing him for harassment at work and sexual harassment, among others.
The Supreme Court has upheld that the owner was forced to close the business because of pressure and to change cities, resulting in economic and psychological damage. It therefore imposes on them compensation of EUR 150 000, which has already been paid - partly by the trade unions and partly by the popular initiative - according to the NTC. Anyway, trade unionists say the bakery was for sale even before the events.
The convicts' lawyers argued that everything happened in 2016 and 2017, and that today all the defendants are integrated into society, that they have work, family and children, and that their lives will be interrupted by imprisonment. The judge, however, took no notice of the allegations and decided to put them in prison immediately. They went to prison on July 10.
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